This photo shows the block and tactical gear, or at least the forward-most part of it, that allowed two people to get the mast up yesterday afternoon while the sailboat was atop its trailer at my in-laws home. I wasn't really prepared to do a mast-up trial run, but in preparation for installing the new solar system, we wanted to clear the decks and leave ourselves more open access to the cabin. The Catalina 25 standard rig mast is really too heavy for two men older than 40 to lift without risk of injury. Our Wing came with a gin pole and block & tackle set up that allows the mast to be raised with relative ease. I believe it is possible for me to get the mast up or down completely by myself, if necessary. It was slow going at first and we kind of had to figure things out as we went along, but once we re-routed the line through the second pulley (rather than bypassing it and going straight through the cam cleat, as shown in the photograph) and astern to the big #16 self-tailing winch (the same winch I used to free the anchor from the tree at the bottom of the lake in the earlier post), we had more than enough power to raise the mast safely and without further trouble or hesitation. I think the entire mast raising or lowering can be done in less an hour, possibly as little as a half an hour.

I also tried unsuccessfully to start the Hillerange alcohol stove. Now I understand why this venerable item is called the curtain burner. I purchase a quart of denatured alcohol at Ace Hardware for 8 bucks, filled the tank using a poorly constructed funnel made out of paper plate, then cleaned up the excess alcohol that spilled all over the place. The burnt alcohol smelled, which will be a problem for my wife. Worse, it flared up to the point that the curtains almost did catch on fire. Then I couldn't get the pressure fed alcohol pump to work, so after the initial smelly flare up it didn't stay lit. This system has to go. However, it does have some important redeeming qualities. The stainless steel housing fits perfectly into the existing space and is gimbaled to compensate for side to side roll. On a boat like the Catalina 25, those features alone make it worth saving. I'm seriously considering taking it out and using a dremel to cut all of the existing tank and burner structure out and replacing them with those little trangia brass self contained alcohol burners that can also be moved into the rear sink to take the chill off when cruising in colder months, or ondeck or onshore. In the past I've used a coleman propane two burner portable camping stove which is bulletproof, but it really can only be used on deck, it slides around and makes noise while running, and takes up more room than it should. This new little cruising boat needs a basic proper sailing cook top that will work in all cruising conditions.

I also discovered this weekend that although the boat has capacity for two basic marine deep cell batteries, only one is installed. It is a relatively new Interstate. That probably explains why the electrical system has only been sufficient to keep the lights on during overnight trips, but not to run the starter on the engine very reliably. The engine is really supposed to have its own dedicated battery. I think I can get the second battery at costco for a fraction of the cost of the one I had to replace on Tropical Dreamer, and I won't have to ferry it to the boat in the inflatable dingy. The two batteries can be used separately or in combined setting to get even more cruising range. The engine starts on the first or second pull and doesn't really need an electric starter, but it's nice to have an alternative starting capacity in the event the starter rope breaks, which has happened to me before on the other Catalina 25 at the beginning of a San Carlos cruise. Between the second battery and charging that comes from the new solar panel and the engine driven battery charger, I'm pretty confident this boat can make it for voyages of a week or two, which is long as I expect to cruise at one time in the next several years or more.

Also got into the water storage system. In my last Catalina 25 the owner removed the water tank and the tubing. He also removed the rear's sink and converted that space into a hanging locker. The Wing has the original equipment, but the tubing and fittings have been redone. There is still some water in the tank. I tried the whale hand pump faucets. The forward one works perfectly, the one at the companionway needed some tightening to prevent leaking. I think it may still be leaking a little bit. That assembly appears pretty standard and I should be able to repair or replace it without too much trouble. Famous last words. I prefer the original plumbing system. It is one of the ways they transformed a large day sailor into a cruising sailboat. Sarah and I agreed it will be useful to have fresh water for cleaning and for filling the the solar shower and porta-pottie and for other uses that require fresh, but not necessarily potable, drinking water. The under-seat stowage on the other side of the cabin can easily take another twenty gallons, balancing out the some of the weight of the batteries and filled water tank. There is additional stowage below the forepeak and elsewhere.